Mongolia is a vast country located between Siberia and China, and little-known to outsiders. As Mongolia had long been under Soviet rule, it was inaccessible to Westerners. That was until 1990, when Stephen J. Bodio began planning his trip. As a boy, Bodio was always fascinated with nature. When he saw an image in National Geographic of a Kazakh nomad, dressed in a long coat and wearing a fur hat, holding a huge eagle on his fist, his life was changed from then on. When Mongolia became independent in 1990, Bodio knew that his dream to see the eagle hunters from the picture in National Geographic“/I> so many years ago was soon to become a reality. In Eagle Dreams, readers follow Bodio on his long-awaited trip to Mongolia, where he spent months with the people and birds of his dreams. He is finally able to visit the birth place of falconry and observe the traditions that have survived intact through the ages. Not only does he get to witness things most people will never be able to, but he’s also able to give life to his dreams and the people, landscapes, and animals of Mongolia that have become part of his soul.

Eagles' feather-covered wings, sharp talons, and keen vision make them the top predators in their habitats. These excellent hunters can easily spot prey and glide through the air. Learn about the lives of eagles.

Hawking with Golden Eagles paints a vivid picture of the eagle experience and takes the reader into the skies on a hunt for quarry. Based on practical field experience, this breakthrough book gives a full account of training and hunting procedures, and takes a close look at the quarries a golden eagle can currently be flown to. Full of breathtaking photographs and insightful description, the book is sure to be enjoyed by anyone wishing to explore the eagle's role within falconry throughout the centuries. My purpose in writing this small book is to try to give an insight into hawking with golden eagles. These raptors have frequently been described in less-than-glowing terms and their value as modern day falconry birds questioned. This book will attempt to paint a more positive picture. Naturally, when flown under unsuitable conditions and handled by inexperienced falconers, golden eagles will give a poor account of themselves. But, if trained and flown correctly, these eagles can be employed very effectively by the contemporary falconer and provide him with a unique hawking experience. My own understanding and appreciation of the golden eagle owes little to my early British falconry background. Far more influential have been my central European experiences. I have spent a good deal of time living and hawking on the Continent. There, my involvement with three large falconry center has resulted in me being presented with opportunities seldom afforded the private individual; and, with Germany or Austria serving as a base, I have traveled widely and hunted with golden eagles in many different parts of Europe. In writing this book, I have assumed that those interested in hawking with golden eagles will already have a background of experience with birds such as goshawks, Harris' hawks, or red-tailed hawks. Let me stress that a golden eagle is definitely no bird for a novice falconer. With this in mind, I deemed it unnecessary to cover very basic falconry topics in any detail. Comments on the more rudimentary aspect of the sport have been restricted to where I feel they are truly required. I have written very much with the practicing falconer in mind. However, I have also tried to produce a text that will be found readable and informative by those perhaps not directly involved in practical falconry, but who have an interest in some related topic. It is hoped that this book will be of value to anyone keen to discover just what these magnificent birds are capable of as trained hunting allies.

Music plays an integral role in many facets of human life, from the biological and social to the spiritual and political. This book brings together interdisciplinary and cross-cultural studies on the functions, purposes, and meanings of music in human experience.

The subject of the award-winning documentary The Eagle Huntress tells the true story of how she became the first girl to compete in—and win—one of Mongolia's most prestigious competitions. In this compelling memoir, teenaged eagle hunter Aisholpan Nurgaiv tells her own story for the first time, speaking directly with award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Liz Welch (I Will Always Write Back), who traveled to Mongolia for this book. Nurgaiv's story and fresh, sincere voice are not only inspiring but truly magnificent: with the support of her father, she captured and trained her own golden eagle and won the Ölgii eagle festival. She was the only girl to compete in the festival. Filled with stunning photographs, The Eagle Huntress is a striking tale of determination—of a girl who defied expectations and achieved what others declared impossible. Aisholpan Nurgaiv's story is both unique and universally relatable: a memoir of survival, empowerment, and the positive impact of one person's triumph.